Tuesday, September 24, 2013

‘Stand With Rand’ PAC to FEC: We Stand With Ayn Rand, Not Rand Paul

Despite what you or the Federal Elections Commission may have thought, Stand With Rand PAC has nothing to do with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY). At least that’s what the group claimed in a letter to the FEC after they were informed that they are not allowed to use the name of a political candidate without specific authorization from that candidate. The letter, first picked up by Public Integrity’s Dave Levinthal, explains that the group actually stands with author Ayn Rand.

“This Committee responds to its pending RFAI by noting that it is unaware that the late Ayn Rand, noted philosopher and author and of Atlas Shrugged, is seeking election to federal office,” Stand With Rand’s letter reads, with no small amount of irony baked in. It later argues that the FEC provision has acted to “suppress citizens’ first amendment rights to engage in robust political speech.”

“Such overbroad application of 102.14(a) would prohibit citizens from banding together and using almost any common name; for example, a youth-oriented PAC named Think Young would share the name of 3 Congressmen and would thus be impermissible,” the letter continues. “With 435 Representatives and 100 Senators many first, last, and even middle names would be prohibited from such broad overreach. Thus, the use of just a first or last name is insufficient to trigger such a harsh restraint on speech.”